


From the Ashes

by suchacommotion



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Coming of Age, F/F, F/M, Gen, Haven (Dragon Age), M/M, Mention of Panic Attacks, Multi-Character POV, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Skyhold (Dragon Age), Slow Burn, non-Thedosian character, there will be smooching later on!!!!!!, this is shameless self insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2020-01-01
Packaged: 2020-09-01 17:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suchacommotion/pseuds/suchacommotion
Summary: The Conclave was a disaster, that was for sure. Now, the two survivors - one from Thedas, one from Earth - must make their way through the ordeal of saving the world (with the help of the Inquisition, of course).





	1. Interrogation

**Author's Note:**

> We're off on a new adventure! Thanks for stopping by. This chapter does have mention of disassociation, so this is your warning.  
This chapter follows Cassandra's POV as well as Eleutherios' (pronounced Eh-loo-ther-ios). Enjoy!

The destruction at the conclave was unlike anything Cassandra had ever seen. And the Breach? She didn’t even want to think about it. 

Even if she did, she didn’t have the time. Ever since the explosion, nobody had slowed down for a second. Chantry members, healers, and scouts rushed around camp, haggard and weary, still trying to process what was happening, just as Cassandra herself was. The only difference between Cassandra and the masses was that they never had to hold up an illusion of strength.

As a senior member of the Seekers of the Chantry, the Right Hand to the Divine, and Nevarran royalty, Cassandra was always expected to be stoic and regal, never once letting anything burden her. But all she wanted right now was to break down and cry. On top of commanding the troops and doing her best to hold back the tidal wave of grief and fear that threatened to be her complete undoing, she now had to deal with the two mysterious figures who were thrown out of the Breach. 

Thankfully, Cassandra had the help of Leliana, ever the picture of piety and fearlessness. 

They walked in silence through the Haven chantry, ignoring the wails of besodden people mourning the loss of… everything. In their eyes, the world was falling apart by the second. And perhaps, Cassandra thought, it was.

“Cassandra.”

She perked at the mention of her name, shaking her head to clear it of the fog. “Yes, Leliana?”

“Now is not the time to lose our heads. You stand tall, always, as long as I have known you. Come, we must interrogate our prisoners.” Cassandra could see that Leliana, too, was close to collapse. How her companion managed to always stand in perfect posture was beyond even Cassandra.

“Of course. Thank you, friend,” she said, gripping the pommel of her sword. She needed the balance. 

Leliana smiled knowingly toward her friend before nodding at the door leading to the dungeons. “Shall we?”

Cassandra nodded, taking a deep breath, and slamming open the door. Rage burst through her very veins. Seeing these two survivors, who managed to escape the destruction of the conclave when Divine Justinia had…. No. She couldn’t think about it. Wouldn’t. Not now. 

In front of her sat two figures tied to wooden chairs: One, a Qunari with spiraled horns dressed in a simple green mercenary’s uniform. The other was a boy, with clothes that would have been ordinary if Haven had not sat in the heart of the Frostbacks. His white shirt and loose pants seemed so very fit for Ferelden summers. Despite the fact that she stood in a room with a Qunari whose muscles surely could crush stone (and whose figure could undoubtedly tower over her while standing), something about the boy set Cassandra on edge. She couldn’t quite place why, but she sensed that that tiny, average looking teenage boy did not belong. 

“AAH!”

Cassandra whipped around, drawing her sword in unison with the other soldiers in the room. She pointed her sword at the Qunari and glanced over his body. Her analysis was met by a pulsing green light coming from the Qunari’s left hand. She looked into his eyes and nearly faltered at how piercing and ghostly blue they were. 

She snarled, regaining her focus. “Tell me why I should not kill you now. The conclave is destroyed, everyone who attended is dead, except for you…. And him.” Cassandra nodded toward the boy, still unconscious. 

The Qunari remained silent, blinking slowly. 

“Explain this!” Cassandra grabbed the Qunari’s arm, reeling as it sparked and oozed with green light. 

“I… can’t,” the Qunari said, voice rumbling in his chest like thunder. “I don’t know what it is!”

“YOU’RE LYING!” Cassandra exploded. Pure rage swallowed her, bursting a hole in the dam of emotions she’d been holding so strong for the last few hours. “TELL ME THE TRUTH! TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW OF THE EXPLOSION!”

Leliana pulled Cassandra back with a firm grip and a level stare. “We need him, Cassandra. He may be the only one who knows what really happened.”

A beat passed. Cassandra met Leliana’s eyes. She forced herself to breathe, to let the fire calm. In, out; once more. 

“All those people…” It was barely more than a whisper. “An explosion…?” Cassandra looked over once more, stamping down on the rage which bubbled up once more. Control it. Do not act so brashly. 

Leliana finally spoke, sensing Cassandra’s distress. “Do you remember what happened?”

The Qunari blinked and furrowed his brow, clearly struggling to remember what had transpired. “I remember… running. Things… were chasing me. There was a figure…. The boy!” He whipped his head around wildly, and Cassandra raised her sword defensively. When the Qunari layed eyes on the boy in the chair across the room, he relaxed his posture. “Thank the Maker. He’s alright?” The Qunari looked back and forth between Cassandra and Leliana.

Leliana nodded. “Yes, the boy is fine. He came out of the Breach with you and has not regained consciousness.”

“The Breach?”

Cassandra paused. “You mean…?” 

Because of course this blighted Qunari didn’t know of the Breach. “It will be easier to show you.” She began to untie her prisoner. “Leliana, go to the forward camp. They need you there. Guards,” she looked up then. “Watch over the boy, make sure he wakes up.”

One of the scouts piped up, “What should we tell him when he wakes?”

“Tell him what happened. He must know.” Her voice was laden with venom. The rage from the day’s events once again threatened to overtake her. Cassandra took another deep breath. “And make sure to find him a cloak. He won’t be much use to us if he’s dead from chill.”

With that, she gripped the Qunari’s forearm, motioning for him to stand up, and led him out the same door she came in, this time with a head somehow foggier than when she started. 

\-------

As Cassandra led her prisoner up the stairs into the main hall of the Chantry, she dared to make conversation. She prayed that it would help to quell the churning of her fears and anxiety. So much has happened. 

“What is your name?” She asked terseley. 

“Eleutherios,” he replied in a quiet voice. 

“What a peculiar name for a Qunari.”

He smirked. “This is a peculiar day.” They walked in silence for a moment, followed by the boring eyes of everyone in the Chantry. “You can call me Ellis, though. It’s easier for everyone that way.” He smiled weakly.

As they neared the door, Ellis began to hear the sounds of battle. Not the clanging of steel or yells of fury, but the cries of wounded and mourning. The battle that lasted for years after the bloodshed stopped. Even his life as a mercenary didn’t stop his heart from sinking in melancholy. He knew as well as anyone that scars under the skin are as ugly and those upon it. 

Ellis felt his focus start to fade and his eyes glaze as the sounds of pain became clearer. Just tune it out, all will be well… 

His conscious was just about to blink out entirely when Cassandra opened the door and he finally saw the disaster that had everyone in tears: the Breach. 

Everything he’d ever taught himself in efforts to spare his sanity fizzled out like a candle flame as Ellis gazed upon the sickly green of the Breach. As if it sensed him, the entire anomaly pulsed, sending a stabbing pain into Ellis’ had that brought him to his knees in a howl of pain. 

Cassandra rushed over, a faint trace of concern troubling her brow. “I’m sure you didn’t notice while you were out, but each time the Breach expands, your… mark grows. It’s killing you.” She took a moment to assess Ellis’ condition. “The Breach, from what we can tell, is a tear in the veil. It’s a gateway for demons, which have been terrorizing our troops ever since the explosion.”

Ellis’ focus was perfectly clear now. The icy wind bit into his skin, snow-covered ground soaking his knees. Each cry from the tents around the village cut into his heart like a knife. He felt their pain and sorrow.

Ellis looked up to meet Cassandra’s gaze, grimacing with pain. “The explosion… did that?” She nodded gravely, lips pressed thin and eyes narrowed for fear that they would betray her with the beginnings of tears. 

Cassandra began again after taking a shaky breath. She knew the dam was cracking. “The Breach is not the only such rift, but it was the first, and it is the largest. It sits atop the Temple of Sacred Ashes. We have reason to believe that you may be able to close it.” Keep it together, Cassandra. “You are our only hope, Eleutherios.”

He paused, taking in all the information that had just been poured upon him. The use of his full name. A blink. A deep inhale. “If I can help, I will. Whatever it takes.”

Cassandra’s features softened ever so slightly. “Come, we’ve a long journey to the Temple.”


	2. Journeymen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet some original characters, including the mysterious boy from the Breach!! Just a warning- there is a scene where one character has a panic attack around the middle of the chapter. Anyway, here's chapter two. Enjoy!

_They have decided your guilt. They need it. _

Even after Cassandra cut the ties on his wrists, Ellis felt the chains drag him down. Was he truly responsible for… all this? Sweet Maker.

Cassandra led him up a winding path, creeping ever closer to the ominous Breach. She told him of Divine Justinia, the explosion… everything that had transpired. Having the gaps in his memory helped to allay some of Ellis’ anxiety, but he still couldn't quite wrap his mind around what was happening. He was sure that Cassandra couldn’t, either. 

The destruction that the pair passed was overwhelming. Soldiers’ posture drooped, stone scattered the pathways, and the fires…

“The temple is just ahead. We must make our way through the valley-” Cassandra was interrupted by another pulse from the breach.

“Hell and damnation,” Ellis hissed, clutching his wrist in pain. He could feel the mark seer into his skin, slowly ripping his hand apart and inch closer to his heart. Cassandra was right: the mark was killing him. 

“Are you alright?”

“Fine. Let’s keep moving.”

Eleutherios sighed, steeling himself for a further trek. He thought about the boy. How frail and tiny he was. How he wouldn’t survive if Ellis didn’t push forward to the Breach. He felt his conscious slipping away, and let a dizzy fog overtake him. _Push through, don’t let it get to you. Nothing matters in the end…_

\-----

Asher woke up to cold feet and stiff fingers. The two worst feelings in the entire universe, by his standards. He also noticed that he was sitting in a very uncomfortable chair, and that his hands were tied together when he tried to move them.

_Oh, shit._

“Look, he’s awake!”

When he looked up, blinking away his drowsiness, Asher found himself in a dim room lit by torches and lined with… cages? What the hell?

“Who are you? What am I doing here?” Asher looked between the four guards that were now staring him down. “Nice swords. Are they... real?”

Two guards exchanged a look. “Of course they’re real,” one began. “What else would they be?”

Asher shrugged, trying to hide his gulp of fear. “I was just asking.” He sat for a moment, taking another moment to assess his situation. He’s sitting in a prison, tied to a wooden chair, freezing cold, and surrounded by four serious looking people that all had real swords. Now, he decided, is a good time to panic.

He tried again to move his hands, but failed. Oh God. Asher felt the walls shrink into him, and his breaths quickened. He was going to suffocate and there was no way out. On top of it all, he was going to freeze!_ I’ll never escape, I’ll never escape, I’ll never escape- _

“Oi! What’s the matter with you, boy?” One of the guards dared a step forward and looked at his captor with concern. “Maker, are you alright?”

Asher gasped for breath, gulping air like a drowning man. “... help…”

“Untie him! Quickly!” Cried one of the guards. Asher was beginning to see spots, and he couldn’t feel his hands anymore. 

“What? We can’t do that! What if he attacks us?”

“Damnit, Jesper, can’t you see the boy can barely breathe?” The second guard rushed forward and sliced away the ropes binding Asher to the chair. He threw his sword aside and lay his prisoner on the stone floor. “Breathe with me! In… out… in… out…”

Jesper and the other guards sat in shock as their companion soothed the stranger.

“There now, everything’s alright… we’re not going to hurt you.”

The dungeons were dead silent, save for the unsteady breathing from Asher. Moments dragged out as Asher struggled to catch his breath. Eventually, Asher took a deep breath in and held it before letting it out. His eyes flickered open. “Thank you,” he croaked, wiping away his tears.

“Andraste’s tits, Berto, where did you learn to do that?” 

“My sister,” the guard replied. “The Blight was not kind to her.” Everyone looked away at that. The fifth Blight had scarred them all in one way or another. 

Another moment of apprehensive silence passed between the group before Jesper spoke up once more. “Kris, go and fetch a cloak from one of the lay sisters. The poor lad must be freezing to death.” He looked toward the prisoner once again. “Have you got a name, boy?”

“A-Asher.” As he spoke, he brought his knees to his chest for comfort. “Can you please… please tell me where I am?”

Berto began, placing a tentative hand on Asher’s shoulder. “You’re in Haven, in the Frostback Mountains. The Fereldan side.” 

“Oh.” Another pause. “It’s clear that I don’t know what the hell is happening, so could you all maybe… fill me in?”

Berto looked to Jesper, who nodded in agreement. As if on cue, Kris walked in with a dusty-looking cloak. “For the boy, as you asked,” they said.

The fourth guard piped up. “Leliana will not be happy when she finds out we cut the prisoner loose.”

Jesper looked over his shoulder. “Hush, Anna, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. He deserves to know the truth, Like Leliana said.”

Berto spoke once again. “It all began when the Divine called for the Conclave…”

\----

“Varric Tethras, at your service. Nice to see you again, Seeker.”

Though Eleutherios towered over the dwarf in front of him, he felt very small. Somehow, this bare-chested little man cleared away all the clouds that had engulfed him for the last half hour.

“That’s an impressive crossbow, Varric Tethras. Nice to meet you.” 

A disgusted scoff sounded from behind Ellis, and he turned around to investigate. To his surprise, it was Cassandra. Although, he asked himself, who else would it be?

His attention, however, moved to the simply-clad elf standing next to Cassandra. The same one who, Ellis suddenly remembered, who had earlier closed the rift with the strange mark. 

“My name is Solas, if there are to be introductions.”

“Nice to meet you, Solas. My name is Eleutherios. Ellis. Whatever you’d like.” Ellis nodded politely, though something about Solas rubbed him the wrong way already. It seemed so ridiculous, and yet... 

“Come, we must continue to the forward camp,'' said Cassandra, interrupting Ellis’ thoughts. She motioned for the party to follow as she gracefully stepped over a small barrier leading to a path downwards. 

They followed the path for a while before a flash of green plummeted into the ice before them. 

“Demons!” cried Solas. 

Fearsome apparitions erupted before them, screeching in rage and malice.

That was when the real magic began. Cassandra loosed a battle cry to rival even the fiercest dragon, Varric readied Bianca, and, with a dramatic yet firm slam of his staff, Solas cast a faint blue barrier around everyone. Ellis himself, of course, was no amatuer. He let the familiarity of his stance and the weight of a sword and shield be his guide. Though the battle had just begun, Ellis saw that his companions were true professionals, and, with practice, could fight together as smoothly coordinated as Orlesian ballerinas. 

“On your left, Seeker!”

“Solas, behind you!”

One by one, the demons fell, dissipating into a sickly green smoke. As the party sheathed their weapons, Varric piped up. “I’m impressed that the Seeker let you have your own weapon, my friend! Especially considering how easily you can wield it.” He smirked, an action that Ellis noted seemed entirely ‘Varric’. 

“Believe me, Dwarf, it was not by choice. There are too many demons about to leave anyone defenseless,” Cassandra shot back, already moving farther up the path. 

Varric shrugged and followed Cassandra. “Whatever you say, Seeker.”

Silence followed for a while. The distant screams from across the valley chilled Ellis, and it made him want to curl up and cry. All those people…. 

“So,” Varric began. “What brings a qunari like you this side of the Frostbacks?”

“I was hired by the Chantry as muscle. Wanted to keep the mages and Templars from killing each other.” Ellis chuckled a bit at that, though it felt awful and raw. “I used to work with a mercenary company, but lately I’ve been a sellsword more than anything else. Mostly been working in Rivain and Antiva. They’re the only ones not fighting a holy war anymore- erm. No offense, Cassandra.”

She huffed indignantly, though it was clear that she was unhappy. “None taken.” 

Ellis cleared his throat awkwardly and continued. “Nobody in the south is usually willing to hire a lone Qunari, especially not in the Free Marches, for… obvious reasons.”

Varric laughed, a booming sound that could light up an entire room with nary a flame. “Oh, trust me, Ellis, I know all about that! I followed the Champion of Kirkwall around for years watching her stir up trouble wherever she could. You’ve probably seen the book I wrote about the whole thingReally, I’m only here because Cassandra tracked me down just to interrogate me on where to find my dear friend Hawke.” Ellis raised an eyebrow and looked between Cassandra and Varric questioningly. “Oh, but we’re all behind that now. What, with the whole ass-deep-in-demons situation.” Varric’s voice clenched slightly at that, though his jovial tone never dropped for a second. 

Another beat passed before Ellis looked back towards Solas and asked, “What about you? What’s a lone elf doing all the way out here? Especially with a staff, so out in the open? You certainly don’t look like any of the other Circle elves that were present.”

Solas chuckled wryly and smiled. “No, I’m certainly not with the Circle. I am simply a traveler who studies spirits and the Fade.”

“An apostate traveler,” Cassandra snapped. “Do not forget that, Solas.”

“Do not forget that I came with you willingly, Seeker Cassandra. I will do you no harm. And, if you recall, I was the one who showed Eleutherios how to close the rifts. As it stands, he is our only hope of survival.” Solas managed to keep his calm perfectly balanced the entire time, which surprised Ellis. Most would simply lash out after such attacks. He sensed, however, that further conversation with present company would only lead to further conflict and petty arguments. 

Just then, a sharp cry came from up the path. “HALT! WHO GOES THERE?”

Cassandra leapt forward, adopting a stance of authority and preparation, as if she were waiting for an attack at any moment. “Seeker Cassandra and the prisoner from the Breach. Let us pass!” 

The scout ran off, yelling something about opening the bridge gates. “We have arrived at the forward camp. We’re almost to the Temple. Be prepared.” She turned around and walked quickly toward the makeshift camp.

“Well… into the Breach we go, I suppose. Er.” 

_That Varric really has a way with words_, Ellis thought to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading chapter two! I'm mostly publishing this to improve my writing skills, but if anyone ends up really liking my work, I'd be so happy. Feel free to leave some constructive criticism in the comments whenever so I can improve on my storytelling! Much love.


	3. Reconnaissance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!! I took a phat break from writing because I'm bad at committing to projects and also I'm busy 24/7. This chapter was super fun to write because I'm a narcissist and like to write about me. Also, turns out writing nuance is hard and I need more practice writing characters. Anyway, enjoy!

Hours passed. Hours and hours. Asher sat in a corner of the dungeon, knees held to his chest, trying to comprehend what he had been told. 

_ Christ, _ he thought to himself.  _ What a mess I’ve gotten myself into _ . 

None of the guards spoke to him, and all was silent, save for the crackling of the brazier that had been lit for warmth and the occasional whine and  _ boom _ of what Asher assumed were the doors above. His cloak was itchy and worn, but it kept the chill out. His clothes were meant for costuming, not the tundra of the mountains. What were they called again? The Frostbacks? 

_ Maybe this is all just some weird, crazy dream. I’ve been reading too much fantasy before bed, that’s it. If I just close my eyes I’ll wake up and forget all about this… _

And so Asher closed his eyes, but all that came were tears. From fear, frustration… he couldn’t tell. But they were there, and they stung like needles. 

He remembered when his father had taught him to sew, how he had always told Asher to be patient.  _ “It’s okay to make mistakes, but if you poke the fabric too much, it loses its shape. Patient hands make patented work!”  _

\------

_ “Out of the way! Make way for the Herald of Andraste!” _

_ A cart bounced along an icy dirt road, away from the sickly vermillion scar in the sky. It was closed, for now. But what of the one who had closed it? _

_ “Careful now,” said a dwarf in a red coat. “He’s a hero.” _

\-----

Asher awoke to a loud clamor from the main floor of the chantry. “What’s going on?”

One of the guards, Berto, looked down to Asher. “Oh, you’re awake! Good. I’ve no idea, but I’m sure someone will be down to fill us in soon.”

Asher shivered, loosing a tense breath. He wrapped the cloak around himself tighter and stretched his aching legs, trying to ignore the pain in his back from sitting on the cold stone ground for so long.

Minutes ticked by.  _ More waiting. Great. _

The door burst open to reveal an elegantly dressed woman accompanied by another in a hood. Immediately, all the guards stood at attention, straight-backed and noticeably more tense. 

“Welcome back, Lady Nightingale. The prisoner is awake and in relatively good condition-”

“I should think so!” said the woman in finery. Asher noticed she had a very thick accent. Was it French? Spanish? Maybe this was all a dream after all. “What were you thinking, Leliana? He’s just a boy! What harm could he be?”

Leliana, the woman in the hood, raised a hand to quiet her friend. “Later, Josie. Scout, report. What happened here? Why is the prisoner not restrained?”

Berto coughed, clearly nervous. “All due respect, ma’am, the boy was at wits end. He could hardly breathe and it looked as if he was about to freeze to death!”

“This boy fell out of the breach! Nobody knows who he is and he certainly does  _ not _ look like he comes from Ferelden, let alone any other continent of Thedas!”

The elegantly dressed woman - Josie, was it? - began again, grabbing her companion’s arm, “Leliana, please, can’t you see the boy is frightened? There’s barely any heat down in the dungeons, and he was tied up and surrounded by guards all day! For the Maker’s sake, Leliana, let him out! He hasn’t tried to escape, or caused any trouble. There is no reason to keep him here!”

There was silence. Leliana shook off Josie’s grip and straightened her posture. She took a deep breath.

And another. 

Finally, she relaxed. “You’re right, Josephine. But you cannot blame me for being too careful. You, of all people, should understand that.” Leliana pointed to the guards. “You four are dismissed. The Breach has been closed, and the Qunari has returned. We’re going to need all the help we can get to control those who wish to blame him. Report to your lieutenants for further instructions.” 

The soldiers saluted and left, leaving an anxious (and utterly confused) Asher alone with Leliana and Josephine.

“So,” Asher began, “what now?”

“A formal introduction is in order, I believe. I am Lady Josephine Montilyet, diplomat of the Conclave. I apologize for your treatment, serah…?” She looked down at Asher, a soft look of curiosity on her face.

“Asher. My name is Asher. Asher Cade. I’m from… I’m not from around here. I don’t have any fancy titles and I swear I don’t know how I got here, and I definitely wouldn’t think of causing trouble for you all.” Asher’s gaze shifted timidly to to scrutinizing visage of Leliana. 

“A pleasure to meet you, Asher. Leliana? Don’t you have something to say?”

Leliana was silent for a moment more, but Asher was pleasantly surprised to see how, for once, Leliana did not look like she was about to kill him. “My name is Leliana. Some call me Lady Nightingale, and I am the left hand of…” she paused, a look of utter pain and sorrow crossing her face for only a second. Had Asher blinked, he would have missed it. “I am the former left hand to Divine Justinia. That is all you need to know of me, boy.”

Leliana turned to leave, but Josephine interrupted the flight. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” 

“Not at all, Josie.” Leliana sighed; deeply, tiredly. She turned back to face Asher. “I am sorry for the way you have been treated thus far. It has been a very trying day for us all. Forgive me for my actions, though you must understand why I thought you dangerous.” She turned to leave once more, but stopped in the doorway, glancing elegantly over her shoulder. “Josephine, I have much to do. Would you mind taking our young… friend to the war room upstairs? I suspect Commander Cullen and Seeker Pentaghast will want to be updated. The party has returned ”

“Of course, Leliana.”

Asher watched Leliana curiously as she ascended up the stairs, out of the dungeons. She carried herself in such a graceful manner, and yet she was so cold and distant. It was clear that she held anger in her heart, and was plagued by a lifetime of pain and sadness. Asher wondered what could have hurt her so, what choices and tragedies could have led someone so polished in her mannerisms to be so compacted and shut out from happiness. But he’d seen it once, seen it a thousand times at home.

Home. He tried not to think about it.

“Come, Asher, let’s get you out of the cold,” said Josephine. She placed a gentle arm around his shoulders, like she was testing the waters for sharks - like she was afraid of what he might do. 

It was an awful feeling. He knew that he was not trusted, but to be treated with fear after the very same person told him it would all be okay. It made him feel hollow. 

As Josephine led him up the stairs, he noticed how his legs ached as much as his heart. He saw the soldiers and sisters alike slumped against walls, writhing on cots, weeping quietly. It was too much for him, though he could not cry. How the hell had he ever ended up here? Where  _ was _ here? Asher cried in silence, in his heart, hoping that his message would be felt, if not read from the pages of his weary face. 

The walk to the war room was short, thankfully, but it had let him catch a glimpse of the horrors of the day. Josephine led him nearer to the war room, through the door, around the giant table in its center. 

“Maker’s breath, Josephine, what happened to this poor boy? Who is he?” A man with golden curls sprang forward to meet Asher, who had been stumbling through his last few steps. When Asher looked up, he saw a pink scar running over the man’s lips. He also noticed a striking likeness to a lion, a stoic face framed by fearsome sharpness and a golden mane. His eyes, however, were full of honest concern, despite the clear exhaustion of his other features. 

“Commander Cullen, this is the boy from the Breach. His name is Asher,” replied Josephine. 

_ She speaks with such formal grace _ , Asher thought to himself.  _ She’s so different from everyone else here in Haven. _

Cullen furrowed his brows, confused. “But I met the one from the Breach. A Qunari by the name of Eleutherios. You mean to tell me that this boy  _ also _ came from that… rift?” He took a cautious step away from Asher, not unlike the way Josephine had been afraid to touch him moments earlier. 

Josephine continued, “Yes, commander, Asher also fell from the Breach. Leliana had him imprisoned in the dungeons, along with the Qunari. But where is Cassandra? Leliana told me you both would be waiting for a debriefing of sorts.”

“She’ll be along in a minute. Seeker Pentaghast was leading Eleutherios and some… other companions when last I saw. A dwarf I knew from Kirkwall, and a mage.” Cullen paused and smiled wryly. “I was there for the attack on the Breach. It’s a miracle any of them walked away without injury, fighting a beast that size. Even after all my years as a templar, I’ve never seen a pride demon that big.”

“I’m sorry,” Asher interrupted, “did you say  _ demon _ ? As in, hellfire and damnation kind of demon?” 

Cullen gave him a very puzzled look. “Of course, demon. They’ve been crawling out of every crevice in the veil all day.”

Asher opened his mouth to reply, but Josephine was quicker. “Asher is not from Thedas, commander. We suspect it is another mystery of the Breach.”

Cullen shifted his progressively confused glance toward Josephine. “That doesn’t make sense, what do you mean he’s not from-”

The slam of a door being forced open drew all the attention to the room’s new arrival: a woman in armor, hair cut short, weapon strapped to her side, menacing scar and arctic gaze boring a hole straight through Asher’s chest. 

“ _ You!” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited to write Cullen and Leliana and Cassandra because they really were done dirty in Inquisition. Cullen needs to work thru his trauma, Leliana needs a hug, and Cassandra needs to understand that she's just suffering from compulsory heterosexuality

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'll have the next chapter up early next week, and we'll finally meet the ~ mysterious earthen ~. Feel free to leave a comment and some kudos! <3


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